Daniel smiled. He loved the game, and he was good at it.
Johnathan Dufort walked over to the same spot Megan had performed in and rocked on his feet. It wasn’t unusual for them to meet in the evenings, but Daniel knew what this was about. It had been a hot topic for weeks and was his least favorite subject right now.
“I don’t have good news, son,” he said. “The agreement is still missing and now Senator Mackenzie is trying to extort us.”
He looked up.
“With what?” Daniel asked loudly. “He’s already doing that by claiming we owe him more interest on the initial loan than was originally agreed to.”
Nearly two decades ago his father had entered an agreement with his then friend, Bill Mackenzie. The amount had been substantial—in the high six figures—and was paramount in Dufort Hotels growing into what it was today. The loan was to be repaid in twenty years with three percent interest.
It was no secret. Their finance team had been putting the money aside over the years and were preparing to pay it out in this financial year.
A few weeks ago, they’d received a letter from the now senator requesting payment for a much larger sum. Attached was a copy of the agreement.
Except it wasn’t the original—it had been doctored.
The three percent interest had ballooned to fifteen percent. A rate no one in their right mind would agree to.
Very few people were aware of the situation, outside his father, his brothers Fletcher and Hunter, their financial advisor and lawyer. The latter had advised they hunt down a copy of the agreement before going to the authorities.
Johnathan Dufort had thought he had a copy at home in his own files, along with the one kept in the vault at Dufort Dynasty.
Apparently not.
His father ran a hand over his face.
Shit.
“Father. Tell me.”
Johnathan slammed his fist down onto the arm of the sofa next to him. “He’s said we have thirty days to pay, or he wants his daughter married into the Dufort family. The prenup cannot exclude her from the Dynasty shares.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Daniel growled.
He knew what was coming next.
“She has asked for you.”